


Tiny Ball of Terror

by StarberryCupcake



Category: Les Misérables (2012), Les Misérables - All Media Types, Les Misérables - Schönberg/Boublil, Les Misérables - Victor Hugo
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff, M/M, R has a little one-eared cat and Enjolras has a golden retriever, Romance, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, fluff with cute animals, it's not much but it's there, slight mention of blood and a kitten getting kind of hurt, that's all you need to know, there's too much fluff in here
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-29
Updated: 2014-03-29
Packaged: 2018-01-17 10:29:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,407
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1384204
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarberryCupcake/pseuds/StarberryCupcake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <em>"Like most of the crucial moments in the relationship that Enjolras and Grantaire had, it all started with a fight. This one, though, hadn't been theirs."</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Grantaire ends up with a little cat that only gets along with Enjolras.<br/>Enjolras has a golden retriever who gets along with everyone.<br/>Grantaire and Enjolras are pushed together by chance, repressed feelings and their pets.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tiny Ball of Terror

**Author's Note:**

> I apologize in advance for the amount of fluff and cheesiness that this tiny one-shot contains. I don't know if you're aware but my main Amis fic is currently a Dystopia AU that sometimes turns very intense and I've been having a hard time lately, so I needed to get away from that for a while and the best way I could think of doing so was by writing a fluffy fic with a tiny kitten and an adorable nanny-like dog. Maybe you think it's utterly silly and under-developed (because it is) but, if it puts a smile on your face, then it's worth it. It worked for me, at least.

Like most of the crucial moments in the relationship that Enjolras and Grantaire had, it all started with a fight. This one, though, hadn't been theirs.

Grantaire was walking back home when he spotted a large dog barking at a little cardboard box in an alley. The dog seemed quite frantic and Grantaire immediately thought he might be attacking something. He was assuming it was a rat but then he heard the tiny mewing sound coming from the box and saw how the dog became more violent. He wasn't a stray dog, as far as Grantaire could tell from his collar, but there was no owner around and the louder the little creature inside the box cried, the more violent the dog got.

Finally, Grantaire advanced towards it, pushed the dog aside, with force and conviction but trying not to hurt him, and took the little bundle of fur between his hands. It was then that the owner showed up, a serious looking man with a severe gaze that resembled the one his dog was sporting. He regarded Grantaire with certain disdain before taking his dog away and didn't comment on what had happened or even cared about the shivering little furry ball in Grantaire’s arms.

Even if the little creature was shaking considerably, that didn’t stop it from trying to bite Grantaire’s hands with its barely-there-teeth. The kitten had his left ear almost completely ripped off and bloody, where the dog hurt it before it could get safely hidden inside the box. The tiny warrior wasn't giving up, though, defending itself with its tiny teeth and little paws.

Needless to say, Grantaire took it home.

* * *

The vet had done the proper check-up but the kitten was left with a partially torn ear from the attack, so Grantaire decided to name him (turned out it was a ‘he’ after all) Vincent. The kitten was mean and ungrateful, if you asked Grantaire; he didn’t like to be touched, he didn’t let Grantaire sleep properly, he bit and clawed on everything, especially Grantaire himself, and, somehow, even if he had been saved by him, he didn’t seem to like Grantaire all that much. He didn’t seem to like _anyone_ all that much, to be precise.

During the cat’s first week at Grantaire’s, almost all of his friends had met the tiny ball of terror, as Grantaire called it, and no visit had ended well. When Jehan and Courfeyrac had met him, Vincent had taken the liberty of peeing all over Courfeyrac’s new sneakers, after which he decided to chew on Jehan’s poetry notebook. Bahorel got some claw marks on his arms for trying to caress Vincent’s fur, Feuilly had similar ones on his neck after the kitten had jumped on him on the couch, Joly was (non-surprisingly) allergic to it, Bossuet had almost tripped on the little one and had stumbled over the coffee table trying to avoid him, Éponine ended up with pee all over her favorite shirt, Musichetta’s calves still had scars where the little menace had attacked her, Marius received the same treatment as Bahorel when he tried to pet the small menace and even Cosette, who had three cats of her own, couldn't tame the little thing.

They had all had pets at some point of their lives (some of them had pets then) but the little cat did not show any liking to any of them. _At all._

Once the week was over, only Enjolras and Combeferre were left to meet the cat, and the chance arrived when they had to go to Grantaire’s flat to decide on designs for their group's new website. As soon as Combeferre crossed the threshold, though, he was surprised by small claws attacking his legs.

“Oh” Combeferre turned to the cat but he jumped away from him, suddenly losing its interest but still looking menacing.

“Sorry about that, that thing is pure evil” Grantaire apologized, closing the door behind Enjolras.

“What are you talking about?” Enjolras sounded surprised “It’s so small…” he walked towards the cat and kneeledbeside it.

Both Grantaire and Combeferre, who had heard the stories his friends shared about the little terror, stared in awe, waiting for the confrontation about to unfold. Enjolras didn’t dislike animals, he had his own golden retriever, Antoinette; he loved her dearly, she was the main reason he had accepted his mother’s offer on a loan for a little house instead of paying for a flat with his own income, like he would have wanted. He didn’t like to borrow from his parents but he wanted a house with a small garden so Antoinette would be comfortable while living with him. Still, apart from Antoinette, he didn’t particularly spend that much time with animals, he didn’t seem particularly interested in them in general as much as some of their friends. But, there he was, reaching to touch the weapon of mass destruction that was little Vincent. Grantaire hoped there wouldn't be much blood involved, he had cleaned that very afternoon.

“Enjolras, I don’t think that’s…” but Grantaire’s words died on his mouth.

The tiny one-eared kitten rubbed his head on Enjolras’s extended palm and purred for the first time since Grantaire had known him. Enjolras picked him up and placed him close to his chest, where the little beast furrowed like it was the coziest den you could possibly find. Which was probably true, Grantaire was almost sure, but he would like to experience it himself, thank you very much.

“I don’t know what all that fuss is about, this little guy is adorable” Enjolras genuinely smiled “and very handsome”

Well, that was an overstatement. They had all pointed out how odd Vincent looked, with his messy grey-ish fur, his missing piece of ear and his strangely proportioned head. No wonder Grantaire had thought it was a rat at first.

“You don’t have to lie, you know? He can’t understand you” Grantaire said, moving to the couch on the living room area.

“I’m not lying, he’s lovely” Enjolras seemed so honest and at ease with the little beast that Grantaire just let the matter go.

When the night approached and they had spent hours working on the design, with an empty pizza box and empty glasses around them, Combeferre and Grantaire, sitting on the carpet in a deep discussion about legibility and the proper use of colors in text and background, realized that Enjolras had been awfully quiet for the past minutes. As they turned around, they found the leader fast asleep on Grantaire’s couch, his head on the arm rest and with tiny Vincent curled on his chest. It was the first time Vincent felt safe enough to sleep close to a human being. Grantaire had to admit it, the cat had good taste.

Soon after, everyone in the group received a copy of the photo they took of them both. Grantaire might have had it as his phone’s background picture for a while, not that he would admit it.

* * *

Enjolras grew closer to the cat in the following weeks. Whenever the group got together in Grantaire’s, the tiny ball of terror, as most of them ended up calling the cat, spent the entire time around Enjolras, and the young man didn’t seem to be bothered by it.

One weekend, when Enjolras invited everyone to his house, he specifically asked Grantaire to bring Vincent along and, if the kitten hadn't clawed three of the artist’s new canvases, he would have worried more about the cat’s safety around Enjolras’s golden retriever; but, after ruining three perfectly good canvases, Grantaire was not giving it much thought. In all honesty, it was Antoinette who had to be careful, the dog was the nicest creature on the planet, she loved all of their friends and played with all of them, while the kitten was a dreadful tiny Viking, leaving scars on every one of them but Enjolras.

But, things went well. More than well, actually.

The kitten fought for Enjolras’s attention but the dog guarded him like a babysitter, ordering him around and keeping him from danger. No matter how annoying Vincent got, Antoinette always put him in his place and, soon, probably unwillingly, the tiny cat started respecting the dog. The group of friends spent most of the evening watching them interact, taking pictures and filming videos of the two. Courfeyrac convinced Enjolras to let him upload one to their YouTube channel, with the excuse that it would gain them viewers. Whether that was a logical strategy or not, Courfeyrac’s persistence was enough to convince even the most stubborn human being. Which was, occasionally, Enjolras.

As the night approached and everyone left Enjolras’s house, Grantaire was unable to find his tiny beast anywhere.  He realized he was the only one remaining and felt quite uneasy about it, because spending time alone with Enjolras could only lead to either an epic fight or an awkward and truly uncomfortable situation. None of which were valid options, of course. 

“Grantaire?” Enjolras looked surprised when he spotted him, probably unaware that he still had a guest.

“I’m sorry, I’ll evacuate the premises as soon as I can find my mighty beast” Grantaire offered, noticeably uncomfortable.

“Vincent?” Enjolras moved to the living room to retrieve some glasses that were left on the coffee table “I haven’t seen him since…”

Grantaire, looking everywhere around the kitchen, stopped listening to Enjolras’s voice. He then peered outside the door to see why the blonde had stopped talking so suddenly and found out the reason: Vincent was fast asleep, close to an also sleeping Antoinette, both lying on the dog’s personal cushion.

“Do you wanna wake him up?” Enjolras asked, still looking at the pair with a bright smile on his face.

“Do you want me to die?” Grantaire moved towards the living room and stared at the adorable display in front of him “Nah, I’ll just leave him there for the night and pick him up tomorrow morning”

“I won’t let you do that, Grantaire” Enjolras turned to him, still holding the glasses he never got to take to the sink.

“What? I know you like the little menace but you can’t just steal him away…” Grantaire had to admit he got attached to the furry beast.

“No, I didn’t mean that” Enjolras blushed “I meant you can stay here tonight, if you want” he added the last part as some kind of afterthought, as if Grantaire would be completely averse to staying the night.

“I can’t bother you like that, it’s fine, I’ll come back tomorrow…”

“You’re not bothering me!” Enjolras exclaimed, rather loudly and, once he noticed, he turned around and walked directly to the kitchen “You don’t bother me, Grantaire, it’s not like you hadn't stayed the night before”

And that was partially true. Grantaire had stayed before, on sleepovers, with his friends, or on some occasion when he was utterly drunk and didn’t really comprehend the situation; but this was completely different. Still, the man was not known for making good decisions.

“Ok, if you say so” he answered, trying to sound as nonchalant as he could “I’ll take the couch then”

“Or you could sleep in my bedroom” Enjolras offered, returning from the kitchen.

Grantaire froze on his spot and stared at the man with what was surely a dumbfounded expression. That was when the plan of acting nonchalant went straight to hell and beyond.

“I mean, I have spare mattresses for Combeferre and Courfeyrac, you can use one of those” he corrected himself, avoiding Grantaire’s stare.

“Oh, yeah, no, I’m fine with the couch, it’s fine, it’s all fine…” Grantaire didn’t know for sure if he was talking to Enjolras or reassuring himself.

“Alright, I’ll get you some blankets and a pillow, then” Enjolras rushed out of the living room as if it was on fire.

And maybe it was, maybe Grantaire was on fire, that would explain why he was sweating profusely and felt like his extremities didn't quite respond to him. 

He sat on the couch to try and collect himself and found out he was right in front of the two sleeping animals. Antoinette looked like a regal dog, she could be featured in a royal painting beside a king or a queen (he would never tell Enjolras that, though); while little Vincent looked like a messy and slightly suspicious ball of fur, with irregular patches of grey and his torn ear. They were so different, where Antoinette was kind and joyful, Vincent was defensive and rude; where the dog was a companion, the cat was an enemy. 

“Why do you like him so much?” Grantaire asked Enjolras as he returned with the blankets.

“Who are we talking about?” he placed the blankets on the couch.

“Vincent. I grew to like the little shit, he’s _my_ little shit but you…you liked him from the start and he’s not a typical soft and cuddly kitty, to say the least” Grantaire wasn't looking at Enjolras but at the odd pair before him.

“He’s not a typical kitty but he’s great in his own way” Enjolras answered, sitting beside Grantaire “He’s defensive because he’s been through a lot and he still has the strength to keep going, even if it doesn't seem like it, he never gave up. He’s also loyal, you guys think it’s only with me, but he looks for you when he doesn't see you, I've noticed that, he goes around searching for you and claws at your legs when he finds you” he giggled “You say he doesn't look ‘normal’ but who says what’s normal anyway? I think he’s adorable and unique” Enjolras went suddenly quiet and took a deep breath before finishing his thoughts “I like him because he reminds me of you” he turned to Grantaire then, eyes fixed on him “And I really like you, Grantaire. I mean, I r _eally like you_...in a romantic way.” He sighed “This is not exactly how I planned on going on about this…”

“You…what?” Grantaire’s heart felt as if it was going to escape his chest and run towards the sunset.

“Yes, I had a better plan, with this speech I prepared…which seemed a bit too much but I really wanted to get my point across, because I always struggle to get my point across with you and this is important, it’s _crucial_ , actually, and I knew you would either be mortified and disgusted or not believe me…” he went on talking and Grantaire could have sworn he hadn't taken a breath once since he began.

“Ok, ok, wait, please, stop…” he said, and Enjolras instantly complied.

Which, in hindsight, wasn't a good idea at all because it lead to silence and Grantaire was completely unable to either put one sentence after the next or to make any sense at all from what Enjolras had said.

“Oh, God I…” Grantaire sighed “I envisioned this a million times but this scenario was never in my head…actually, any scenario with you saying you liked me instead of me spilling my guts and receiving a cold empty stare from you in return was discarded for being too unrealistic…”

“What? Grantaire, even if I wasn't head over heels for you, I would never disdain…” Enjolras started talking with severity but stopped himself shortly after “spilling _what_ , exactly?” he asked.

“Are you kidding me right now? Is this all a joke? Is Courfeyrac hiding with the camera inside a closet?” he looked around, mortified.

“I don’t have closets in my living room and I've just confessed my feelings for you so, if you don’t mind, would you please respond something so I don’t feel like a total…”

“I love you” Grantaire interrupted, and there was that silence again.

 Enjolras looked at him with what probably was a reproduction of the same dumbfounded expression Grantaire had worn minutes before.

“I've been in love with you for a very long time, an embarrassing amount of time, and you are right, I can’t quite believe what you just said to me. I want to believe it, I really do, but…” Grantaire looked at his hands that were unsteadily clasping his jeans.

“Then believe, Grantaire” Enjolras gently cupped his face and looked at him in the eyes with all the confidence he had, the same confidence he sported when he talked to the most difficult crowds “Belive in me…in _us_ ”

And Grantaire was far from convinced, he was scared and dubious and skeptic because that was who he was, that was his nature. But that didn’t stop his lips from finding Enjolras’s, didn’t prevent his hands from burring themselves in Enjolras’s hair, didn’t deter his body from getting as close to Enjolras’s as humanly possible.

Everything was messy, confusing, a blur of limbs and caresses, of breath in someone’s ear and teeth on someone’s throat, of kisses on cheeks, jaws and mouths, of hands underneath shirts and temptingly promising over jeans.

And then it stopped. Enjolras disentangled himself from Grantaire, stood up from the couch and extended his hand to the man before him.

“Will you accept my bedroom now?” he asked, with a wicked smile on his face.

“First, I have a question” Grantaire smiled back “Do you like my cat more than you like me?”

Enjolras laughed, a musical sound that Grantaire rarely heard and was determined to hear more often.

Grantaire didn’t need to hear an answer, though, he took his hand and followed him.

* * *

It was Grantaire who woke up first the following morning, which was convenient since it gave him time to take it all in before fully getting up from bed. And, even if it all felt like a dream _, an amazing dream_ , it was hard to not believe it when there was a sleeping figure beside him.

Enjolras was sprawled over the bed, face down on the pillow, his blonde hair partly covering his face and shining in the morning light. What the dim light from the window did to the curves of his bare back, partly covered by the red blanket, was something meant to be painted. The soft but defined muscles looked like a diagram for art students, visible all the way to his back dimples, and his soft skin would have been practically flawless if it wasn't from some light bruising, mementos of their night together. Grantaire was not complaining on the imperfections, though, he was appreciating everything he saw. 

“You’re staring” Enjolras’s voice came muffled from the pillow he was practically smothering himself with.

“I’m contemplating a very tough decision, I need to focus” Grantaire answered, pensive.

“What decision?” the blonde sounded a bit alarmed, finally looking up from the pillow and behind the mess that his blonde curls had become.

“Whether I should fetch my sketchbook and draw you, because you look fantastic with this light, or kiss every inch of you, because you look fantastic with this light” he answered in all seriousness.

“Where is your sketchbook?” Enjolras replied, also serious.

“In the living room”

“And where’s your mouth?” he smirked.

“Here” Grantaire smiled back.

“I don’t think it’s a tough decision _at all_ ” the blonde turned around and pulled Grantaire towards him in a passionate kiss. 

They weren't able to go too far, though, since a low but very persistent mewing sound came from the floor beside them. They had left the door slightly ajar and Vincent had entered, announced himself quite clearly and then started clawing persistently on Enjolras’s box spring, to get their attention and, most probably, his breakfast.

“Oh, shit, he’s hungry” Grantaire sighed, his head falling over the pillow next to Enjolras's head.

But before they could get up, Antoinette entered the room and pushed the tiny cat with her nose, making his attention drift from the bed to her and letting him mercilessly play with her fur instead. In a matter of seconds, the dog made little Vincent follow her out of the room, buying Enjolras and Grantaire more time alone, at least for a little while.  

“Oh my God” Grantaire couldn't believe it “I _love_ your dog”

Enjolras laughed again and Grantaire thought it felt just as magical as it had the night before.

“Do you like my dog more than you like me?” he mimicked Grantaire’s voice and then it was him who laughed, like he hadn't in a long time.

* * *

 

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah, maybe you noticed already but the cat was named after Vincent Van Gogh and, this one was harder, I named Enjolras's dog exactly like Tamaki Suoh's dog from Ouran Koukou Host Club. The Tiny Viking reference was an obvious one too. 
> 
> As a side note, some of the things that Vincent did are sometimes considered friendly gestures by cats, but I wanted this one to be a very grumpy and very unfriendly cat. 
> 
> This is probably one of my weakest fics out there, but it made me happy and that's what counts when you're not feeling at your best. I realize this is not a well-planned and well-developed confession and it's a really weak characterization but I just wanted to make something short and sweet to feel better and share it, I apologize if it bothers too much. All my efforts are going to my chaptered fic right now, this was a nice break. 
> 
> By the way, the cat in the picture looks actually pretty damn cute and not as shaggy as I wrote him but I thought the picture was very appropriate, especially because of the ear, so I messed him up a bit in photoshop. He still looks cute, I mean, it's a kitten, I can't do much more, kittens are always cute. 
> 
> Thanks for reading, you're awesome.


End file.
